Wrench.



J. L. WALSH.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3,1915.

9 u Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

E COLUMBIA PLANuaRAPH co., wAsl-uNuTON D C entre, sans ienrnnrr onion l' JOHN L. WALSH, OF CHICAGO, ILLNOZIS, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO THOMAS J. CONLEY, OF CHICAGO, LLINOIS.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN L. lVALsr-I, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cool( county, illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVrenehes, of which the 'following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

rlhis invention relates to wrenches'of that type having a fixed jaw formed on the end of a handle, and a movable jaw sliding on the handle and adapted to be locked thereto at various positions of adjustment thereon.

The object of this invention is to provide locking means whereby the movable jaw may be free to slide along the handle for the purpose of adjustment, and having a loosely iulcrumed locking member capable of being moved into trictional contact with the movable jaw and handle in such manner as to bind the parts together.

The invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

rlhe invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification, in which:

liigure 1 is a side elevation of a complete wrench embodying a simple form oi' the present invention, -F 2 is an enlarged, detail view of a Jfragment of the handle, the movable jaw and locking member, the movable jaw being shown in vertical, longitudinal section, and the locking member being shown in unlocked position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, except that the locking member is shown in locked position; Fig. t is a vertical cross section taken on the line l-fl of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 o1c Fig. 3.

Referring to said drawing, 10, designates the handle oi the wrenelnsaid handle having at one end the usual fixed jaw, 11, as is common in wrenches of this class. rlhe movable jaw, 12, is slidably mounted on the handle, 10, and has a gripping face, 13, which opposes the gripping face, 14, of the iixed jaw. The part, 15, of the movable jaw has an opening, 16, therein, which is slightlv longer than the width of the handle, 10, and in the lower edge portion, 17, of the movable jaw is threaded a screw, 18, the inner end of which projects into the hollow of the part, 15. rlhe adjacent edge of the handle, 10, is formed with a centrally located, lengthwise extending groove, 19, slightly narrower in width than the diameter oi. the screw, 1S, which screw has a rounded end that engages with the marginal edges oisaid groove, said Contact being made u hen the movable jaw is clamped to the handle.

A recess, 20, is formed in the rear edge of the movable jaw, 12, and in said recess is a locking member, 21, which is loosely ulcrumed upon a pin, 22, secured in the side walls of the movable aw. |The locking member comprises ahead, :23, and a handle, Q4, the head having a slot, 25, formed therein, through which the pin, 22, extends, so that although the locking member is fulerumed upon the pin, it is free to move bodily with respect thereto. lVhen the locking member is in its locking position, the slot extends at right angles or approximatelj7 at right angles, to the handle. rlhe head, 23, is somewhat oval shape in formation, and the .rounded ends, 26, 27, thereof, are capable of being `forced into gripping engagement with the end tace, 2S, of the recess, 20, and with the edge. 29, ot The handle. It is tobe observed that by reason. of the elongated slot, the pin, 291, does not receive any strain occasioned in locking the movable jaw to the handle, but that the entire clamping action takes placel between the ends oll the head, 23, and the end wall, Q8, ot the movable jaw and edge, 29, ci the handle.

In operation the locking member is swung into the position seen in Fig. 2, so as not to bind against the movable jaw or handle, and the movable jaw is adjusted against the nut or object which it is desired to grip withthe wrench, and thereupon the handle. or linger piece of the locking member is swung down toward the wrench handle. bringing the ends, Q6, 27, of the head, 23, firmly into rictional engagement with the end wall, 28, and edge. 29, also raising the movable aw and bringing the rounded end of the screw, 18, into rictional engagement with the marginal edges of the slot, 19, thus locking the movable jaw in position upon the handle. The screw, 18, may be adjusted, as occasion requires, to a position waere it will bite into the edges ot the groove, 1.9,

and thereby aid the locking member in iixedly securing the movable jaw upon the Letters Patent:

handle. Preferably, the length of the head,

V23, is such that when in locked position, it

stands at a slight angle to aline perpendiculary to the handle and inclines towardthe fixed head, so that backward pressure upon the movable jaw tends to straighten or move the locking member into vertical position, whereby the grip becomes tighter as the pressure against the face, 13, of the movable jaw, increases.

More or less'variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of construction shown and described, but intend in the following claims to point out all of the invention'disclosed herein.

I claim as new l. A wrench comprising a handle having smooth edge portions and having a fixed jaw onpcnefV end, a movable jaw having a part surrounding said handle and slidably mounted thereon., a locking member fulcrumedon said movable jaw and having oppositely disposed gripping edges adapted to engage with oppositely disposed portions of the movable jaw and handle, said locking memberl having a pin and slot connection with the movable jaw, whereby the locking membermay be swung into locking position with` the pin out of engagement with either end of said slot.

2. A wrench comprising a handle having a fixed jaw at one end, a movable jaw havingl a portion surrounding said handle and slidably mounted thereon, said jaw having a reand desire to secure by cess lformed therein, a pin secured in said movable jaw and extending transversely through, said recess, a loosely fulcrumed locking member having an elongated slot for the reception of said pin and having two oppositely disposed, curved, bearing edges capable of frictionally engaging an edge of the handle and an oppositely disposed face on the movable jaw.

. 3. A wrench comprising a handle having a fixed jaw at one end, and a movable jaw, slidably mounted on said handle, said handle having a longitudinally extending groove in one edge, said movable jaw having a projection of slightly larger diameter than said groove and arranged to engage with the edges thereof when the movable jaw is in locked position, and a locking member loosely fulcrumed upon said movable jaw and having oppositely disposed, curved, bearing faces adapted to engage with oppositely disposed faces of the movable j aw and handle.

4. A wrench comprising a handle having a fixed jaw at one end, and a movable jaw, slidably mounted on said handle, said handle having a longitudinally extending groove in one edge, said movable jaw having a screw, threaded therein, said screw being of slightly larger diameter than said groove and arranged to engage with the edges thereof when the movable jaw is in locked position, and a locking member loosely fulcrumed upon said movable `iaw and having oppcsitely disposed, curved, bearing faces adapted to engage with oppositely disposed faces of the movable jaw and handle.

JOHN L. VALSH.

Copies of this patent `may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

i' Washington, D. C. 

